//------------------------------// // Unexpected Company // Story: The Crass Menagerie // by Coyotek4 //------------------------------// “Gone?” Twilight repeats. “Spike, what do you mean ‘gone’?” “I mean, I went to the students’ quarters, called out for Gallus, looked around the area, and didn’t see him anywhere. He’s just … gone.” The group of thirteen ponies and non-ponies collectively turn to each other, unsure what to make of the griffin’s departure. Ocellus is the first to speak up: “Did we … push Gallus away?” “You can’t blame yourselves,” Twilight reassures. “Sure we can,” Smolder retorts. “We acted like jerks, and he had enough of us doing so.” “You were all under control of darker forces,” Starlight states before pausing, “… and it’s safe to assume that Gallus is as well.” “Ya know, that image of Rarity reminded me not only of how she appeared during our camping trip, but also way back when we first ran into Discord,” Applejack muses before turning to Twilight. “When you were, well, ‘Discorded’, what did that feel like to you?” Twilight ponders for a moment. “Emptiness. A feeling like I had nopony to turn to, during my darkest period. A sense of just giving up.” She shakes her head. “I wouldn’t wish such feelings on anyone.” “That sounds awful,” Fluttershy admits.” “So what do we do about it?” Rainbow Dash asks. “Well we won’t get anywhere just standing around here,” Twilight finally declares. “I’ll craft a letter to Grandpa Gruff, informing him of Gallus’s disappearance and that I’ll be coming to Griffinstone so we can discuss the situation face-to-face. Rainbow Dash, organize a search party; he couldn’t have gotten too far. The rest of you start spreading the word; maybe somepony saw him leave the area and has an idea of where he … where he … …” Twilight ceases giving orders as she and the other professors observe a strange sensation coming over the five students: Sandbar’s cutie mark begins to pulsate, as do Yona’s horns, Ocellus’s wings, Smolder’s spikes, and Silverstream’s beak. “What happening to Yona? What happening to all of us?” Ocellus glances at Sandbar’s cutie mark. “I know what that means; Sandbar’s being called by the Tree of Harmony!” Her focus shifts to her other friends. “But … does that mean …” “We’re being summoned by the Tree of Harmony as well?” Smolder continues. “Omygosh, omygosh … WE’RE going on a friendship quest!!!” Silverstream excitedly announces as she darts around the room.” “I guess that means we’re gonna find Gallus,” Sandbar reasons. “Looks like you’re not going alone,” Rainbow Dash points out, turning her attention to Starlight. “Look!” Amidst the din of excitement upon recognizing the students being summoned, no one had noticed that their counselor’s cutie mark was also pulsating. “Oh,” Starlight notes. “I guess I’m coming along for the ride,” she sheepishly continues. “But exactly where are we supposed to be going?” Smolder asks. “The cutie map will tell us,” Ocellus answers. Twilight smiles. “Indeed. Follow me, everyone.” After an extended solo flight, Gallus touches down at the entrance to Griffinstone. He observes the relatively empty streets, save for an isolated griffin or two wandering about, before proceeding to head towards the center of town. A number of griffins pop their heads out of windows; they spot Gallus trudging along the main thoroughfare, then pop their heads back inside, deciding that he’s of no concern to their own lives. “Scone for two bits?” Pausing, Gallus turns in the direction of a fellow griffin selling baked goods. Brushing her off, he continues his journey. “Hey, wait a minute.” He pauses and turns back as the purveyor flies up to him. “What?” he callously asks. “I recognize you. You’re the griffin who went to that ‘friendship’ school thing, right?” Gallus sighs. “So what?” “So what? So what’re you doing back here?” “And who are you to even care what I do?” Gallus’s question takes the vendor aback, but she quickly regains her composure. “My name’s Gilda, and I’m friends with one of your professors; Rainbow Dash. We’ve been exchanging letters for some time now.” “OK, Gilda, then you can tell your little pen-pal that I quit.” He turns away, but Gilda continues to harass him. “That’s impossible. I’ve been hearing from Rainbow that you’ve been thriving. Heck, I heard you helped save their whole kingdom because of what you learned. To a lot of us here, you’re becoming an inspiration. You can’t be just throwing all that away now!” Gallus turns in disgust to face Gilda. “Strange, I don’t see any difference made around here.” Gilda shrugs. “Well, yeah, it’s a slow process … but I do see changes around here.” “Where, exactly.” Gallus points out the desolation around them. “Face it, ‘Gilda’: I’m a griffin now, and griffins don’t do friendship.” Gilda gives Gallus a strange look. “What do you mean ‘now’?” “The point is, I’m done caring. Now IF you’ll excuse me …” Gallus brusquely pushes past Gilda and moves along. Gilda ponders the conversation for a moment before calling back out. “You still want a scone? Free of charge!” Gallus turns one last time to face Gilda. “Save your pity for someone who’s inspired to care.” He turns back and continues along his path. For several seconds, Twilight, Starlight, the other professors and all the students, all stare in silent disbelief at the cutie map. “No way!” “It can’t be.” “Impossible!” “Must be a mistake.” Denials come from all in the room as the various marks circle above a destination. Applejack turns to Twilight. “Ya think the cutie map’s got apple rot again?” “It’s never steered us wrong before,” Twilight replies. “What about when Discord got us going on that wild goose chase?” Rainbow Dash counters. “That was his own weird way of proving a point,” Starlight retorts. “But this … this doesn’t seem like him.” As the elder ponies argue about the true nature of the cutie map, the students continue to stare at their miniaturized heads, along with Starlight’s cutie mark, circling around the area of Griffinstone. “Are we really going to travel all the way to Gallus’s home?” Silverstream asks. “Sure looks like it,” Sandbar responds, his eyes as focused on the map as the others. “Yeah … but we’re supposed to be going with her?” Smolder asks incredulously. “Yona confused.” “We’re all confused,” Ocellus adds. Catching the tail end of their conversation, Twilight addresses the students. “I think we can all agree on a few things. Gallus is back in Griffinstone, and the cutie map is sending you five along with Starlight to find him. There’s certainly no real surprise in that.” “But what about—” “I don’t know … maybe there really is a malfunction with the cutie map,” she admits. * * * An explosion blasts the doors to the room off their hinges, causing Twilight to instinctively create a force shield around the group. She and the others turn to the source. “TWILIGHT SPARKLE, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME???” The group gape at the appearance of the former changeling queen, her hole-marked wings now pulsating brightly. “ANSWER ME!” she angrily demands. Twilight takes another look back at the map, then back at the changeling. “Or, maybe the cutie map really did summon Chrysalis.”